Places to Be: Time to Wind Down

So you’ve made your plans, and it’s the last few weeks leading up to the wedding. Your bride tribe has done all they can for you, and these loyal sisters need a break before the big day just as much as you do, because months of serious wedding prep has taken its toll and you and your girlfriends deserve a mini vacation! 

Of course, one might prefer a private escape with your partner-to-be; just the two of you in a scenic cottage surrounded by lush nature sounds tempting when caught up in the hullabaloo of event planning.

Well, it’s time to kick back, because we’ve done the work for you and discovered these beautiful getaways for your last hurrah. Leave the idea of bar-hopping and bawdy bachelorette affairs behind; from a surf mansion to a beautifully mellow cabin for two in the woods, these retreats are sure to inspire a different sort of hen night.

Paddock Hall is a lovely getaway cabin built by hand on Yalburabah, a ‘place of healing’ as denoted by the indigenous Bundjalung people. It’s perfect for a couple’s retreat, and if you want to see the sights and touch base with nature, it’s only a 15 minute drive to Lennox and Lake Ainsworth, 10 minutes to Killen Falls, and 20 minutes to Byron.

With five bedrooms and enough space for at least eight of your besties, Casa Mio Surf Hacienda on Crescent Head is a dream come true. The beach is right outside your doorstep, barely five minutes away by foot, and the house is handsomely furnished with modern, yet organic interior features.

An original timber and sandstone fisherman’s cottage on the edge of the waters of Mackerel Beach sounds like a great idea for an escape to a simpler time. Fitting up to four people in this lovingly restored Little Black Shack, the seclusion is a luxury in these hectic times, and we adore the raw natural beauty that surrounds it.

Luxury is never overrated, right? Pretty Beach House is such an understated name for this gorgeous award-winning getaway. With incredible private pavilions and premium Italian cuisine sourced from garden to plate, this experience will surely be something unforgettable.